Implements Switzerland’s development cooperation and humanitarian aid on the ground

Services and visa

The Embassy of Switzerland in Nigeria provides visa support and consular services such as registration/deregistration, issuing of passports, identity cards and civil status changes. Contact information can be found on the corresponding pages.

Focus

Services

Contact the responsible Swiss representation or consulate when you want to register or unregister as a resident, when you need a new passport, have moved or wish to apply for citizenship. The entire selection of services offered can be found in the dropdown menu to the right. The contact details of the responsible Swiss representation are shown on the corresponding page.

Swiss citizens who get into difficulties abroad, also can ask for advice and help from the Swiss representative.

The magazine for the Swiss Abroad appears six times a year and provides information about what is happening at home and the activities of Swiss associations abroad. It also answers administrative questions.

Passport and identity card

As of 1 March 2010 Switzerland issues, beside the identity card, only biometric passports containing a chip with a photo of the face, two digital fingerprints and a digital signature. This biometric data is logged directly at a processing centre. In Switzerland this is the passport office of the canton of residence of the applicant. Abroad the processing center is the Swiss representation at which the applicant is registered.

Passports issued prior to the date mentioned above remain valid until the date of expiry. Certain countries may set specific conditions for entry to their territory. Please be sure to seek information on the entry conditions in good time at your travel agency or the relevant foreign representation (embassy or consulate).

All persons requesting the issue of a Swiss identity document have to apply and, after an agreed appointment, appear in person at the processing centre for the biometric data capture. Minors and persons under guardianship must be accompanied by their parents or by their legal guardian. A divorced parent who has sole parental custody must present an official document to that effect. In the case of joint parental authority, if the two parents are unable to attend together, the absent parent must provide written authorisation for the issuing of the child’s passport or identity card.

Since the production of Swiss identity documents is centralised in Switzerland, you should check the expiry date of your current travel documents in order to allow sufficient time when applying for new documents.